ANTH326 – Peoples and Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa•Meeting 1, September 8, 2010

•Alex Enkerli alex@informalethnographer.com

Outsiders

Today

•Know what to expect•Start thinking about Africa

Alex

•(Alexandre Enkerli)•alex@informalethnographer.com•Office: Hall H-1125-28, Extension: 5408

Office Hours

•Thursdays 20:15 to 21:45•Wednesdays 16:15 to 17:45•By appointment

Taught Similar Classes

•IUSB: ANTH E310 Introduction to Cultures of Africa

•Tufts: ANTH 118 Culture and Power in Africa

•Concordia: ANTH326, Fall 2007▫New Coursepack

Theme: Learning from Africa

•Anthropological part: Africa at ethnographic core

•Lesson: What Can Africa Teach Us?•Main issue: thinking about Africa in an

open way

This Course

•Mid- to Upper-level•Bigger class•Seminar-like

▫Semi-open▫Active reading

Exercise

•Think up issues and concepts related to Africa

African Studies

•Area Studies•African Studies Association

▫http://www.africanstudies.org/•Pluridisciplinary•Anthro-heavy

African Ethnography

•Ethnographic societies•Long scholarly tradition•Insider/outsider

▫Owusu's critique•Micros (-sociology, -history, -economics...)•Macros (e.g. World-Systems Theory)

Course Logistics

•As Explicit As Possible•Longer Outline•Possible Changes

Readings

•Reading load•How to work with texts•Additional readings•Make way to literature on Africa

Coursepack

•Old and new texts•Case studies and conceptual/theoretical•African scholars•From colonialism to modernity•Relationships with rest of the World•Orality•Left out history•Some social problems

Course Requirements

•Course Engagement, 10% •Final Project, 25% •Project Plan, 5% •Critical Reviews, 30% •Media Critique, 5%•Exam, 25%

Final Exam

•Open-ended•Answer five out of seven•Understanding, not memory

Critical Reviews

•Not summary•Active reading•Work with material•Making links•Conversation starter•Can be short

Media Critique

•Similar to critical reviews•Non-academic representations of Africa•Bring media items next week

Final Project

•Learning from Africa•Insight•Integrate Issues

▫Readings▫Class

Project Rules

•Project Plan October 13•Due December 10•Open Format•No Encyclopedia•No History•Teamwork allowed

Topics Covered

•Diversity•Representations•Misconceptions•Modernity•Tradition•Ethnicity•Identities•Economy•Geography

Topics Covered

•Belief systems•Social structure•Music•Arts•Politics•Kinship•Health•Terror•Slavery•War

Other Possible Topics

•Globalization▫World Cup in South Africa▫"BRICSA"▫Asia-Africa relations▫Global inequalities

•Postcolonialism▫Neocolonialism

•Tech in Africa▫Initiatives▫OLPC▫Geek Corps▫Engineers without borders

Policies

•No Extra Credit•“Prewrite”•Late Assignment Penalty•Online Submission•Reasonable Attendance

Online

•Moodle and BuddyPress Courseware•Forums•Assignments•Podcast•Journals•Blogs•Communication•Content

Project Topic and Format

•Open•Essay•Reaction paper•Critical bibliography•Local ethnography

Grades

A+ 90-100 C 63- 66

A 85- 89 C- 60-62

A- 80- 84 D+ 57-59

B+ 77- 79 D 53-56

B 73- 76 D- 50-52

B- 70- 72 F/FNS 40

C+ 67- 69 R 20

Marks

•IF: Insightful•OC: Original and Creative•HP: Honest and Personal•TR: Thoughtful and Reflective•EX: Appropriate Examples•ED: Elaborate and Detailed•CSF: Concise and Straightforward